Excellent Jobs Number

290,000 jobs created in April. That is a great, great number.

Unemployment rose from 9.7 percent to 9.9 percent. People shouldn't worry about that because all it means is that people who had given up on jobs and were no longer considered in the work force are now streaming back into the workforce.

A few more months of 300,000 jobs created and we will start to see the unemployment rate start to really plummet. Again, we see that the economic policies of this President are working.

Deadskins Pull Same Old B.S.

WJLA - the local ABC affiliate in DC - had a story they were doing about an Iraq war vet who was coming home early and wanted to surprise his Redskin cheerleader wife. You know, one of those fluff, feel-good stories.

WJLA asked the Deadskins to film the reunion at FedEx, but instead of giving them access, the Deadskins said no, and then turned around and told WRC - the local NBC affiliate who also happens to be a Deadskins sponsor about the story.

They barred WJLA from covering their story and then gave the story to WRC.

To make matters worse, apparently, they told the cheerleader that if she spoke with WJLA she would be fired. Danny Boy's culture at its finest. When the sh*t hit the fan Danny Boy apologized to WJLA - of course, it was too late, the PR damage was done.

More Good News on Jobs

The private sector reports on jobs are showing positive signs and on Friday I expect we will see another solid jobs growth number. If we get more than 175,000 jobs on Friday it will be a very good sign.

Frankly, I am expecting to see the number above 225,000 because of the sustained economic growth we have seen in Q1 with GDP growing at 3.2 percent.

I am projecting Q2 and Q3 growth to come in above 3.5 percent and then to hit 4+ percent in Q4. If that happens, we will see 300,000 jobs created per month starting in about June, and perhaps as many as 400,000 jobs late this year.

Gulf Oil Slick

I heard a bunch of Obama haters the last few days saying that Obama is failing to solve the oil slick problem in the Gulf.

I'm not exactly sure what he can do about it, but I shake my head at the intellectual dishonesty of many of the President's critics. Many of these same people want to "Drill Baby Drill" and they want the government to leave Big Oil alone because drilling is so "safe."

Now they are complaining that the government isn't doing enough.

Which is it? Do you want government oversight (which these same idiots call "socialism" at every turn), or do you want unfettered capitalism?

It certainly looks like BP did not adequately provide "fail-safe" measures and now the tourist and fishing industries are devastated.

Growing GDP

First quarter GDP grew by 3.2 percent. Not spectacular, but certainly very solid growth.

This is yet another sign that the economy is turned around. I'd like to see growth above 3.5 percent the rest of the year. That will ensure significant job creation and it will greatly reduce the fiscal budget deficit because it will increase tax revenue because there will be more taxable income.

Overall, another great sign that things are improving.

BP Oil Spill in Gulf

There is a huge oil spill from one of BP's offshore oil rigs in the Gulf. Apparently it is pretty bad and it is now threatening the Louisiana coastline.

All of those "Drill Baby Drill" folks want to believe there is no risk to the environment and the tourist economies in many seaside areas. If this spill happened off the Miami coast or Ocean City, NJ or Myrtle Beach, SC, those economies would be devastated far more than any financial gain that those areas/states would receive from private oil companies.

Consumer Confidence Rising

CC hit 57.9 - they highest level since September 2008 when the financial sector crisis really exploded.

This is just another sign that things are on track. I am really looking forward to the April jobs number. If we get over 300,000 jobs it will be huge.

Tea Party Anger

Anger is a necessary condition for political change. But, by itself, it is not a necessary and sufficient condition for change. Tea Party folks - who are not really much more than angry Republicans - are angry. So what?

Anger won't change the country. There has to be a legitimate plan/option to get behind for political change to happen. People don't want to vote for "the angry candidate who likes to bitch and moan." They need to understand what the plan is.

This is why the Tea Party movement is stock in neutral.

The Tea Party Express multi-city tour that Palin put her name and fame to was nothing more than a Republican scam to make some money. It just suckered a bunch of ignorant Tea Partiers into forking over their SS and welfare checks to pay for Sarah Palin's appearances. They never actually built an agenda.

Now, the other thing that is going to prevent the Tea Party anger from spreading is that the nation's economy is rapidly improving. Job creation is now taking place, GDP is rising at a brisk pace, and even real estate is showing signs of significant improvement. President Obama has accomplished HC reform and gotten most of the world's nuclear powers to agree to secure loose nukes. The Iraq war is winding down. We will have financial regulatory reform on Wall Street and possibly even a climate bill.

Immigration reform debate will likely be a political win for Democrats as they secure the growing Hispanic vote for the next 2 decades, and the Supreme Court nominee could really stir the base.

It is already a tiny, and largely inconsequential movement, but next year, there won't be a Tea Party movement at all.

Chicago Bears Draft

I thought the Bears had a great draft, given that they didn't have a 1st or 2nd round pick this year. Their 1st round pick was given up as part of the Cutler trade. Their 2nd was given up in the trade for Gaines Adams - who tragically died this offseason.

They ended up with two players who will likely play significant minutes in Florida safety Major Wright and Northwestern DE Corey Wootton. They had a bunch of value/reach picks with their other picks and they probably wasted one on QB Dan LeFevour in the 6th round. The best I see out of the LeFevour pick is if the guy can show something and they trade him for a higher future pick down the line.

I think the Bears really, really upgraded their defense this offseason. I like the rotation at end with Peppers, Wootton, and Anderson. Their D-tackles will be fine if Tommie Harris can return to form and if they get a little production from Harrison. Their linebacking corps is one of the best and deepest in the NFL with the return of Urlacher and Pisa from injuries. Their secondary is still a question mark, but I like their starting corners and hope that Wright is all he is cracked up to be. Manning will likely move to strong safety which is a much better fit for him than at FS. He can be a playmaker and he is a good tackler. While he is a great athlete, he doesn't seem to have a knack for the ball and he is constantly out of position in coverage.

The Bears will be better on D and if they make some improvement - any improvement on offense they should challenge for a playoff spot.

Obama Poll Numbers

I have to say that I am somewhat surprised that President Obama has not had a larger bounce from the improving economy and the passage of HC reform. He remains just under 50 percent in most polls.

That said, I don't think there is a structural or deep-seated fear, I think the American people just haven't personally benefited from these improvements and the Republican message machine has done a good job framing the doom and gloom as an Obama-created problem.

But as the economy continues to improve - and there is nothing to indicate GDP and job growth won't be significant throughout the rest of the year - and the HC benefits become more clear (and no grandmas are killed by phantom death panels), his poll numbers will continue to rise.

I've been dead right about the improving economy for the last year and I'm sure the poll numbers will increase as more and more Americans start to feel the improvements.

John Stewart on Goldman B.S.

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Facts about Federal Taxes

These idiots who are blaming President Obama for federal taxes don't have a clue. Several hundred billion dollars in tax cuts for the middle class came through the Stimulus, and because of it, middle class taxes have fallen to their lowest level in 50 years.

Tea Party folks seem to be mostly foolish angry people who are completely ignorant of basic facts.